Chapter 19: chapter 19
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The Kyuubi was momentarily stunned. After seeing Naruto's resolute eyes, it immediately understood what the boy was thinking.
Although Naruto had known his identity for a long time, he didn't want anyone else to find out. Instead, he chose to rely on his own power to deal with the situation, even if it meant destroying the evidence himself.
He would never seek help from the Kyuubi to save his life, but for such seemingly insignificant tasks, he turned to the beast.
The Kyuubi sighed internally, feeling a bit powerless to complain, but eventually cut out a portion of its chakra and transmitted it to Naruto through the seal.
This time, Naruto didn't resist the negative emotions contained in the Nine-Tails' chakra. Instead, he embraced them.
In mere seconds, Naruto entered a berserk state. He swiftly destroyed the corpses on the ground before turning his gaze toward the moonlit window.
"So, this is the power of the Nine Tails?" he murmured, his voice tinged with awe. "It's intoxicating."
Struggling to maintain a shred of sanity, Naruto jumped out of the window and fled the village.
Inside the sealed space, the Kyuubi watched the scene unfold and sighed. "Even in this state, you deliberately chose a place with fewer people. Is there a flicker of kindness in your heart, after all?"
---
Meanwhile, not far away, Yūnin and the Anbu squad were locked in a tense standoff. They quickly noticed Naruto's rampage.
Even from hundreds of meters away, the oppressive chakra emanating from him clawed at their hearts, flooding them with overwhelming negative emotions.
"Is this the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki on a rampage?" one of the Yūnin murmured, their voice shaky.
Uzuki Yugao, her expression cold and determined, drew her blade. She pointed it at the Yūnin captain and demanded, "Guests of Kumogakure, are you coming with us willingly?"
The Cloud ninjas exchanged uneasy glances, their faces grim.
Running wasn't an option—this was Konoha territory. Worse, they faced a skilled swordswoman flanked by an Anbu operative adept at stealth and ninjutsu. Their chances of escape were slim.
After a moment of hesitation, the Yūnin captain spoke up. "The truth will come to light. We didn't attack the Jinchūriki. Your Jinchūriki seems to have gone berserk—shouldn't you deal with that first?"
Yugao's face hardened. "The Torture and Interrogation Corps will uncover the truth."
She then turned her attention to the seemingly empty air beside her. "Hayate," she asked in a low tone, "what's the situation with the Jinchūriki? Didn't I tell you to find Captain Kakashi?"
Moonlight Hayate appeared, visibly weak and panting. "I fired a signal flare," he said, his voice strained. "But when I tried to protect the Jinchūriki, another ninja in black intercepted me. They didn't try to kill me, only delay me."
"A distraction…" Yugao's expression darkened, her tone grim. "Hayate, I think we've stumbled into something bigger. After this mission, perhaps it's safer outside the village than within."
Hayate glanced at her and sighed. "You might be right."
---
Despite his efforts to control his mind, Naruto couldn't stop himself from destroying the streets as he rampaged.
Under the onslaught of the Nine-Tails' chakra, neither rock nor soil could withstand the devastation. The commotion jolted nearby villagers from their sleep.
Peeking through their windows, they saw a blood-red beast wreaking havoc. Paralyzed with fear, they collapsed to the ground, cowering in corners, trembling beneath their blankets.
The scene was hauntingly reminiscent of that fateful night four years ago.
Kakashi, perched atop a nearby rooftop, frowned as he watched the chaos unfold. Removing his forehead protector to reveal his Sharingan, he focused intently on the rampaging boy.
Naruto wasn't the same as four years ago. This wasn't a child in need of protection; this was a powerful Jinchūriki.
Tracking the trail of destruction, Kakashi flickered across rooftops until he found Naruto in a deserted park.
The park was in ruins—fitness equipment lay shattered, and deep trenches marred the ground.
Naruto, sensing Kakashi's presence, turned slowly toward him. His blood-red eyes glowed with feral intensity as he approached step by step.
Kakashi activated his Sharingan fully and prepared a Chidori, its sharp cry echoing in the darkness.
Just as he was about to engage, Naruto stopped.
The ferocious chakra around him dissipated abruptly, and he collapsed forward. Kakashi caught him before he hit the ground.
Surveying the unconscious boy and the injury on his arm, Kakashi pieced together the events.
Someone had attacked Naruto, triggering his transformation and subsequent rampage. But who? And why?
As Kakashi pondered, the Third Hokage appeared with a squad of Anbu. They approached, their gazes fixed on the boy in Kakashi's arms.
"Kakashi, did you stop the Jinchūriki's rampage?" the Hokage asked.
Kakashi shook his head. "No. By the time I arrived, he had already exhausted himself and passed out. Interestingly, during his rampage, he seemed to avoid harming any villagers, only destroying the surroundings."
The Third Hokage's face darkened, and the Anbu around him exchanged surprised glances.
A Jinchūriki who could maintain such control in a berserk state? This was unprecedented.
The Hokage sighed, his expression grave. "Kakashi, well done. Hand Naruto over to me. Continue patrolling the area, and report to me at the Hokage Building later."
Kakashi hesitated briefly before nodding. He glanced at the unconscious boy one last time before resuming his mission.
As the Third Hokage observed Naruto, he couldn't help but feel a wave of sorrow.
The resemblance to the Fourth Hokage was unmistakable.
Tonight had been tumultuous: the death of Kumogakure's envoy, Naruto's rampage, and lingering questions about the true orchestrators of these events.
The Third Hokage sighed again. "Naruto… you are far more remarkable than anyone realizes."
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